Contents Policy Statement... 1 Policy... 1 Fire Procedure... 2 Out of School Hours... 3 Senior School... 4 Junior School... 4 Visitors... 4 Fire Training... 5 Contractors... 6 Policy Statement Guildford High School places the highest importance on fire safety, and is committed to raising awareness of the risk of fire, its prevention and reaction of both pupils and staff should a fire break out, through training and education. This policy applies to all members of our school community, including those within the EYFS setting. Guildford High School is fully committed to ensuring that the application of this policy is non-discriminatory in line with the UK Equality Act (2010). Further details are available in the school s Equal Opportunity Policy document. Guildford High School seeks to implement this policy through adherence to the procedures set out in this document. In line with our Provision of Information policy this document is available to all interested parties on our website and on request from the school office. This document is reviewed annually by the Facilities Manager or as events or legislation change requires. The next scheduled change is September 2018. Policy The person responsible for Fire Safety is the Headmistress; she appoints the Facilities Manager in matters of Fire Safety. Guildford High School s Fire policy complies with the Regulatory Reform (Fire safety) Order 2005. We provide instructions to all staff, pupils and visitors to ensure safe evacuation of the premises in the event of fire. Guildford High School makes provision for a fire risk assessment to be carried out by a relevant body each year. It is formally recorded and reviewed by the Facilities Manager on an annual basis or when significant changes have been made to the buildings. The school is not routinely visited by the Fire Brigade but will comply with any GHS Fire Policy and Procedure Page 1
recommendations made by the Fire Service, and will regularly carry out and record risk assessments in relation to fire, together with fire drills and any routine tests recommended by the Fire Service. There are currently no significant recommendations of the Fire Service outstanding. Guildford High School recognises the importance of raising awareness of Fire Safety and seeks to ensure all possible fire risks are addressed. In line with this aim, Guildford High School will: Disseminate information about the elimination or reduction of risks from dangerous substances to relevant departments and support staff Carry out training of all staff on initial appointment which will be repeated periodically Ensure the safety of staff and anyone else legally on the premises through effective: fire prevention, evacuation procedure and maintenance of fire routes and equipment Ensure fire drills are carried out in the first 2 weeks of each term to raise awareness and confidence in fire procedure across the whole school. Ensure the Facilities Manager and staff are confident in contacting the Fire Services in the event of a fire Ensure staff are appointed and trained to act as Fire Wardens to take preventative and protective measures and to assist with evacuation in the event of a fire Provide staff and those working on the site with a copy of this policy. It is school requirement that all those working on school site are provided with information about fire safety at Guildford High School. Maintain fire routes, exits, signs, notices, emergency lighting and fire detectors, alarms and extinguishers All staff must read this policy and be aware of the fire procedures. It is reviewed annually, or as legislation changes require, by the Facilities Manager This policy should be read in conjunction with: SENDA Health and Safety Policy SEN & EAL Policy Risk Statement Fire Procedure All employees have a duty to take reasonable steps to ensure that they do not place themselves or others at risk. It is the duty of the employees to familiarise themselves with the layout of the building and the fire exit routes. All emergency routes are clearly marked with FIRE EXIT SIGNS All emergency evacuation maps are by the evacuation point in each room and on health and safety notice boards. In the event of any member of the GHS community finding a fire they must: 1. Manually break the call point glass 2. Contact the Fire Services directly by dialling 999 GHS Fire Policy and Procedure Page 2
The evacuation signal is a siren in the senior school and sports centre, and a constant ringing bell in all other areas, and staff and pupils should follow the evacuation procedure: Close all windows Switch off appliances such as D & T machinery; Bunsen burners etc (do not wait to shut down your computer). Evacuate via the appropriate published route from the area of the school, closing the door behind them. All pupils and staff must walk in silence and gather at the assembly point to be registered and receive further instructions. Senior School to the Nightingale Courtyard, except 6 th Form who go to Junior playground. Junior School- to Junior Playground or on the lawn between Senior and Junior School Sports Centre to Sports Centre Lacrosse Pitch or Stoke Park Stoke Park is used as a contingency muster point. A member of SMT or the Facilities Manager will direct pupils and staff from their designated point to Stoke Park The Facilities Manager and/or Caretakers will check the fire panel to establish the area of the fire. Fire panels are situated in the reception areas of the junior and senior schools and the sports centre, and the entrance halls of Morton House, Harper House and No1 Nightingale. The Caretakers will then establish if there is a fire and contact the Facilities Manager by mobile to inform him. The Facilities Manager or a member of staff will then telephone the Fire Services and notify them on arrival of the position of the fire. The Administration Staff are responsible for taking the registers, megaphone, and First Aid boxes to the muster point. The hazardous substance and information for Fire Service files are kept in a locked box by the assembly point will also be given to the Fire Service. Senior School: Heads of Year and designated staff will register staff and Form Tutors will register pupils. Junior School: Form Teachers and subject teachers will register pupils, and the Deputy Head of Junior School will register staff and report to Head of Junior School. If pupils are missing the Form Tutor or a member of staff taking the register should cross check with sign in /sign out sheet held by a member of the School Office. The Headmistress will then inform the Fire Services of any missing pupil. Once the ALL CLEAR has been given to the Headmistress by the Facilities Manager, caretakers or the Fire Service the Headmistress will dismiss pupils back into the building. In line with the Disaster Policy, in the event of an emergency a Clarion Call will be sent by the MIS Manager by mobile to all parents, requesting that they collect their daughter from a designated location. Out of School Hours If the alarm sounds before 8.30am, pupils and staff will follow the normal fire procedure and evacuate to the assembly point. Then in the event of a fire, a member of Senior Management Team, the Facilities Manager or a caretaker will inform the Fire Brigade that there could be pupils in the building who cannot be accounted for. GHS Fire Policy and Procedure Page 3
Senior School GHS 8-4 Fire Policy and Procedures After 4pm, all pupils must gather at the assembly point. The Librarian will then register the pupils using the sign in/out sheet as a register. Any other member of staff running an event or club after school should also have an accurate register of attendance which will be used. The Caretaker in charge will update the librarian either by phone or in person as to whether the fire brigade has been called or if the alarm can be silenced and the pupils allowed back into the building. Junior School After 3.45pm, all pupils gather at the assembly point. The Head of Junior School or in his absence the Deputy Head or Head of Preprep will then register the pupils, supported by teaching staff, after school care staff and staff running clubs. The Deputy Head or Head of Preprep will also register staff present. At all times there is a trained Fire Marshall on the Premises. Visitors All visitors sign in and out of the Front Office. This book is used to register visitors at the assembly point. All visitors are given a badge on the back of which are details of the fire procedures and they are informed of the assembly point. Fire evacuation routes are clearly labelled around the school, which visitors should follow. Fire Risk Policy and Procedures All records relating to Fire Safety are kept and maintained by the Facilities Manager. They are reviewed in consultation with the Headmistress and the Facilities Manager actions and records any matters arising. The following records are kept, maintained and reviewed: The Fire Risk Assessment and its review The Fire Safety Policy and Fire Procedures Training Records of Fire Wardens and other staff training The Fire practice drill log Certificates for the installation and maintenance of fire-fighting systems and equipment The Facilities Manager carries out regular checks, walking the site and a termly checklist is completed. This is also in line with The Arson Prevention Bureau 1998 Regulations. Regular checks by the Facilities Manager include: Fire exits and emergency routes are kept clear Signs and notices are in place Emergency lighting is correct Fire extinguishers are not used to prop open doors Checks on all fire doors to ensure they remain closed unless attached to the fire alarm by magnetic means or a door guard is attached. These doors will automatically close when the fire alarm activates. Annual maintenance of fire extinguishers is carried out by an approved contractor in December each year. JC Electrics Service and test fire alarms and emergency lighting six monthly in April and August GHS Fire Policy and Procedure Page 4
The Facilities Manager and Caretaker test the call points in each building weekly on a Tuesday at 0800 and record the results in the log book. The Facilities Manager flick tests the emergency lighting in every holiday period. Heads of Departments have departmental Health and Safety policies and a copy is kept in the staffroom. High Risk departments such as DT Food Tech and Science have policies in place which include fire precautions and dangerous substances and clear instructions on what to do in the event of fire. Hazardous substances are kept in lockable cabinets/containers and COSHH sheets are kept for these substances. Separate policies are place to ensure communication between main school and the sports centre in the case of an evacuation. These policies also include provision for collecting girls from the sports centre and returning them to main school if necessary. All policies are reviewed annually in July and checked by Oxford Safety Risk Management. A register of dangerous substances is kept by the Facilities Manager and a copy is kept in the School Office. This is made available to the Fire Brigade on arrival. All Employees should Familiarise themselves with the fire procedures and escape routes. Report to the Facilities Manager any concerns regarding fire safety Ensure that doors are not held open by fire extinguishers or wedges and fire exits are not blocked. In accordance with the fire procedures, evacuate the building to a safe place without putting themselves or others at risk. Not attempt to extinguish a fire unless they have been specifically trained to do so. Comply with the School No Smoking Rule. Risk Assessment on People with Disabilities A risk assessment will be carried out on staff and pupils depending on their needs and a risk assessment carried out. Staff will be made aware of the procedure to follow for these individuals. Fire Training All employees receive training and instruction on all of the fire and emergency procedures on an annual basis. All training is recorded. All members are advised on taking preventative measures and ensuring a safe environment. Any employees with additional fire safety duties i.e. Fire Marshals, will be given training on appointment to their specific duties and refresher training on an annual basis. New staff are inducted into the GHS Fire Procedures and they complete the checklist and return to the Facilities Manager for recording. The staff training as Fire Wardens are listed on Health and Safety notice boards. GHS Fire Policy and Procedure Page 5
Contractors GHS 8-4 Fire Policy and Procedures Any contractors working on site must sign in at reception and wear a visitors badge at all times. The contractors host must ensure that they are briefed on the schools fire procedure including the no smoking policy. Any hot works must be authorised by the Facilities Manager before work begins, and will only be allowed on receipt of a completed risk assessment and method statement and after being issued with a hot work permit. Date of next review: September 2018 GHS Fire Policy and Procedure Page 6